


Fatherhood

by AnnaOnTheMoon



Series: Stargazer Era [13]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: 2350s, F/M, faherhood, pre-enterprise, stargazer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 03:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12950370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon
Summary: When Wesley falls ill, Beverly makes a startling discovery about his father.





	Fatherhood

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to a request to “write more Picard is Wesley’s biological father stories”.
> 
> Takes place on the Stargazer, 2350s

Jack came bursting into Jean-Luc’s Ready Room, panic evident on his face.  “Jack?”

“Johnny! We have to get to Starbase Thirty-Two immediately!”  Jean-Luc looked up at his best friend with a puzzled look on his face. 

“Calm down, Jack. We’ll be there in a week.” Jack flung himself into the chair in front of Jean-Luc’s desk.  “You don’t understand, Johnny! Wesley is sick!”  At this comment, Jean-Luc sat up straighter.  He absolutely doted on his honorary nephew and hoped it was nothing serious. “What’s wrong with the boy?”

“Beverly doesn’t know.  He keeps holding his ears in pain at even the slightest sound. She can’t examine him or take him anywhere.  Even the sound of Beverly turning on the water to give him a bath hurts his ears.”  Jean-Luc’s eyes went wide and he sat back in his chair and regarded his friend.  He glanced up at the ceiling. 

“Picard to Bridge.”

_“Yes, Captain?”_

“Increase speed to Warp 7.”

_“Sir?”_

“We need to get to Starbase Thirty-Two a little quicker than we anticipated.”

_“Understood.  Adjusting speed.”_

“Picard out.”

Jack sighed out the breath he had been holding.  “Thank you, Johnny.  I’m going to send Beverly a message to tell her I’ll be home sooner.” 

Once Jack had left Jean-Luc’s Ready Room, Jean-Luc rested his head in his hands.  _What are we going to do?  We thought Jack would never find out about our indiscretion...but I think this means that Wesley..._ Jean-Luc tugged his console towards him and initiated communication with Starbase Thirty-Two.  The face of the communications officer filled his screen.  “Starbase Thirty-Two.  Where can I direct your call?”

“Doctor Beverly Crusher, Please.  Tell her it’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard.”

“Standby, Sir.”  The Ensign’s face was replaced with the Starfleet logo momentarily before it dissolved to show Beverly’s face.  Her hair was dishevelled and there were deep bags under her eyes, but Jean-Luc still thought she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

“Jean-Luc, is everything alright ? Is Jack alright?”  Jean-Luc smiled.  “Hello, to you too, Beverly.  Everything is fine. Jack is fine.  He’s just been to see me and told me about Wesley.  I’ve increased our speed so we should get back in three days instead of a week.”  Beverly smiled. 

“Thank you, Jean-Luc. It would be good to have you and Jack here.  I really need a break.”

“How is little Wesley?”

Tears filled Beverly’s eyes and Jean-Luc wished he could reach out to brush them away. “He’s miserable.  He keeps holding his ears and crying.  We had to muffle the tricorder to scan him, but even Doctor Quaice says he can’t find anything wrong with him.  My medical knowledge is failing me....I just want my baby to be ok.”  Beverly sniffed.

Jean-Luc spoke quietly.  “Beverly.  Check Wesley for Shalaft’s Syndrome.”

“Shalaft’s Syndrome? But Jean-Luc, that’s...”  she gasped as realisation dawned on her.

“Genetic.  Yes.” 

“I..I never had Wesley genetically tested.   I...we...we had only been together than one night  so when I found out I was pregnant...”

“We both assumed it was Jack’s.  But Beverly...what you’re describing...with Wesley being sensitive to even the slightest noise...that’s what happened to me when I was a boy.  And Robert, Papa, his brother and father and his father’s father...it goes back for generations in the Picard line.  Fortunately, Wesley will have much better care than I did.”  Jean-Luc grimaced remembering how his father hadn’t allowed his mother to take him to the hospital, claiming that Robert hadn’t needed a hospital and that he hadn’t needed a hospital so Jean-Luc didn’t need one, either.  It had finally taken Jean-Luc’s ears bleeding before Maurice finally relented, and Yvette had taken Jean-Luc to the hospital in Bern.  There had been no lasting damage, fortunately, though Jean-Luc wondered if he might lose his hearing later in life.  He shook himself out of his memories and gazed at the woman he loved on the monitor, who now had tears streaming down her face. 

“Jean-Luc, if I had even thought the baby might have been yours...you have to know, I wouldn’t have married Jack.  I...”

“I know, Beverly.  I know. “  He reached a finger out and traced her face on the monitor.  “Let’s get Wesley better first and then I think we have a few things to discuss...” 

“Jack will know as soon as I tell him what’s wrong with Wesley.   He never had Shalaft’s Syndrome and I’m sure he must have remembered you telling us about it. Jean-Luc,  Wesley is your son.  I won’t deny you your child.  But I don’t know how Jack will react...”

“Beverly, my love.  Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.  Concentrate on Wesley for now.” Beverly smiled at the term of endearment and nodded.

“I’ll...call you when I have the results.  You deserve...well, you deserve to know how your son is doing.” 

“Maybe I’m wrong, Beverly.  Wesley might not have Shalaft’s.  Wesley might not be my son, but...” Beverly interrupted his musings.  “Jean-Luc, do you realise Wesley has the same colour eyes as you?”

“Beverly...that’s hardly a reason to assume...”

“Jack’s parents keep commenting on what a quiet child Wes is and said Jack was never so quiet.  I just chalked it up to him having inherited his quiet nature from me, but if it was from you too....”

“Beverly.  Test Wesley for Shalaft’s.  If he has it, and if he is indeed my son, we’ll discuss what to do.” On screen, Beverly nodded.  Jean-Luc took a deep breath and decided to admit to her how he felt. “And Beverly?  I do love you...and Wes...whatever the outcome.”  Beverly smiled.  She loved Jean-Luc too, but never would have admitted it before. 

“We love you too.  I better get Wes to Sickbay and talk to Doctor Quaice....I’ll call you and let you know the outcome.  Crusher out.”  Beverly’s image faded and Jean-Luc sat back in his chair.  _What have we done?_

### three and a half years prior ###

_“Doctor Greyhorse, who would you recommend to send on this mission?”  Jean-Luc eyed his Chief Medical Officer.  The doctor preferred to stay on the ship instead of going on away missions, even though as CMO he should be attending.  But Greyhorse had an aversion to the transporters, and Jean-Luc was not inclined to send shuttlecrafts on every away mission.  So instead,  he always asked Greyhorse to assign one of the junior doctors to the away team._

_They would be beaming down to meet an unknown species on Reknar Five.  As commanding officer, Jean-Luc would be beaming down (much to Gilaad and Jack’s dismay) along with two medical officers and two security officers.  The message had requested a meeting with their “chief” and for medical assistance._

_Doctor Greyhorse cleared his throat.  “I would like to send Ensign Howard.  She needs the experience of an away team,”  Jean-Luc picked up where Greyhorse left off. “And it would be better for her to experience an away team without her fiancé hovering over her the whole time.”_

_“Presisely.”_

_“Do you think Beverly is ready?”_

_“Captain, Ensign Howard has been ready for quite some time.  I’ll send her with Nurse Bandidor. Bandidor has plenty of experience on away teams.”_

_“Make it so.  Tell Ensign Howard to report to my ready room for briefing.”_

_“Of course, Sir.”_

_Recent Starfleet Academy graduate and first year medical student, Ensign Beverly Howard, was serving on board the_ USS Stargazer _alongside her fiancé, Jean-Luc’s second in command and best friend, Jack Crusher.  Beverly was performing her first year of medical studies under the watchful eye of Jean-Luc’s CMO, and was definitely ready for some more hands on experience.  The trouble was, with Jack being the second officer, he was usually assigned to the away teams and Jean-Luc felt that Jack would hover over Beverly and either ignore his post, or prevent Beverly from performing her duties . Of course, having Beverly on an away team with him might lead to the same problems as he himself had feelings for the redhead.  But Jean-Luc had never admitted his feelings to the woman or his best friend.  Jean-Luc made his way back to his Ready Room to prepare for the briefing he would be giving his team._

_Jean-Luc surveyed the group gathered around the table.  In addition to Beverly, he had Nurse Bandidor and two members of the security team whose names always seemed to escape him.  “Our mission....is largely unknown.  They have requested medical assistance and Doctor Greyhorse felt the experience would be good for you, Doctor Howard. You will have Nurse Bandidor to assist you and one of the security  team will be with you at all times.  The other security member will remain with me as we try to find out who these people are.”  Beverly grinned at being referred to as ‘Doctor’.  She was pretty excited for the opportunity Jean-Luc and Greyhorse were giving her.  Jack wasn’t happy about not going along, but Beverly was pleased to get to prove her worth without her fiancé around.  “Transporter Room in ten minutes.  Dismissed.”_

_The five-member away team beamed down to a desolate planet.  Beverly whipped out her tricorder and began scanning.  “Captain, faint life signs about 5 kilometers west of our location.”  Jean-Luc nodded.  “Then we’ll head in that direction.  Security, phasers out just in case.”_

_The team went deeper into the forest that seemed to cover most of the area they were in, following the signal emitting from Beverly’s tricorder.  Suddenly, the team was attacked by humanoids covered from head to toe in black.  Nurse Bandidor was grabbed from behind and disappeared in a shimmer of light before the group.  Security tried to fire their phasers, but they were whisked away before they had had a chance to make a difference.  Jean-Luc reached a hand out and placed it on Beverly’s arm.  “Stay calm,” he whispered.  She nodded.  Jean-Luc slowly moved his other hand to his hip where his own phaser was, but before he was able to reach it, both he and Beverly disappeared in the same swirl of light that had taken the rest of the team._

_Beverly and Jean-Luc appeared in a dark room, possibly a cell.  Jean-Luc’s phaser and communicator badge were missing, as was Beverly’s badge, her tricorder, and her medical bag.  Sighing, Jean-Luc looked around the room before moving towards Beverly. Her shoulders were shaking and she was silently sobbing.  He reached out an arm and pulled her towards his chest.  “Shhh. I know this is frightening, Beverly, but you’ve trained for this.”_

_“I’m sorry, Jean-Luc.  I think I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of being captured .  I’ll be alright.”_

_“Understood.  I nearly wet myself when I went on my first mission.”  Beverly laughed.  “I find that hard to believe.”_

_“Ask Walker, he was there.”_

_“Hmm, I might have to ask him at the wedding...if  we get out of here in time for my wedding.”_

_“Beverly, your wedding is in five weeks.  I don’t think we’ll be here for that long.  I trust Gilaad, Jack, and the rest of the crew.  But first, we need to figure out where we are.”_

_Jean-Luc began pacing the room. “It’s a shame they took your tricorder.”_

_“Hmm. What are you doing?”_

_“Pacing the room out to get a feel for the size.”_

_“Oh.  What should I do?”  Beverly was anxious to make a difference on her first mission, even if they were captured by an unknown foe._

_“The walls feel fairly solid, but run your hands over the walls and see if you can find a door.”_

_“Right.”  Beverly ran her hands over the wall following behind Jean-Luc and took note on how the wall felt.  They walls were rough, but solid with no indication of being made of bricks or blocks.  They were cold and slightly damp, which made Beverly wonder if they were underground or in a cave.  She finally found a small crack and cried out.  Jean-Luc hurried over to her._

_“What have you found?”_

_“This crack.  It extends above my reach.”  She moved Jean-Luc’s hand towards the wall and led it up over her head.  “There’s another crack on this side, a few feet away.  I think we’ve found a doorway.”_

_“Hmm. I’m not much taller than you, but perhaps I could lift you up to see if there is a crack connecting them together for the top of the doorway?”  Beverly nodded and felt strong arms reach around her waist lifting her up.  Jean-Luc settled Beverly on his shoulders, with her legs hanging down in front. He hung onto her legs and moved closer to the wall.  “What do you  feel?”_

_“I feel like we’re about to play a game of chicken in a swimming pool.”  Jean-Luc chuckled. Beverly ran her hands along the wall. “There’s definitely a long horizontal crack here.  Move over slightly so I can follow it,”  Jean-Luc obliged.  “Yes, here.  I’ve found the corner.”  Beverly plucked a button off the front of her uniform and jammed it into the crack.  “There. If I put a button in the other corner, we’ll at least be able to see the shape of the door.”  Jean-Luc moved them back to the other side and Beverly twisted off another button. “Good idea, Beverly.”_

_Jean-Luc gently placed Beverly back on the floor. “No door knob and no hinge on this side.  The door must open outwards.”  He shoved his shoulder against the door and pushed. No luck, the door held fast.  Beverly made her way over to the only furniture in the room, a small cot, and sat down on the sagging mattress.  “I’m guessing we might be here for a while?”  Jean-Luc grimaced.  “Appears that way.”  Jean-Luc joined Beverly on the small cot.  “If we both lay on our sides, we should be able to get some sleep tonight...I know it’s not ideal...”_

_“No, it’s fine. And it’s a good idea.  We might need our strength in the morning.”  Jean-Luc removed his jacket and bunched it up to form a pillow. He stretched out on the small bed close to the wall and laid on his side, indicating for Beverly to lay down next to him.  She shed her own jacket and bunched it up under her head.  She turned towards Jean-Luc and her lips were less than an inch away from his. She could feel his breath tickle against her lips and she softly spoke. “I’m glad that if I was stuck with anyone, it’s you. I trust you, Jean-Luc.”  Jean-Luc brought his lips to her forehead and gave her a gentle kiss. “Get some rest, Beverly. We’ll get out of here in the morning, I’m sure.”_

_They didn’t get out in the morning.  Food and water was beamed in each day and in the dim light from the small window at the top of a wall they found a toilet and sink in one corner.  Jean-Luc and Beverly took turns turning their backs so the other could freshen up, and Jean-Luc helped Beverly detangle her long tresses with his fingers.  Since they were stuck together, they spent the days talking and telling each other things that no one, not even Jack, knew about either of them.  Jean-Luc was delighted to discover Beverly had a love for theatre, and many hours were then spent by the couple reciting Shakespeare and other plays they had both performed in when they were younger. Beverly had even convinced Jean-Luc to dance, and with her humming a tune, they occasionally swayed across the room._

_They had completely surveyed the room multiple times, and with the exception of the small window barred over at the top and the cracks that seemed to indicate a doorway, the room had no other openings.  They didn’t see their captors, or their fellow away team members and they had yelled themselves hoarse on the first day trying to gain the attention of their team.  Beverly wondered what the others were going through and if they were together or alone. She was sure she would have gone mad within the first few days left to her own thoughts.  She was grateful Jean-Luc had been holding her hand when they had been struck, if indeed that was the reason they had been paired together.  For all they knew, the other three members of the away team had been placed into a room together, too._

_It had been twelve days.  Jean-Luc scratched the stubble that grew on his face and Beverly laughed.  “You know, Jean-Luc, it doesn’t look all that bad on you.”_

_“No.  I refuse to be one of those balding men that turns to facial hair as a way to compensate for the lack on top.  I will go bald with dignity...and as soon as we’re out of here the first thing I am doing is taking  a razor to this mess.”_

_“Hmm.  I think the first thing I’d like to do is take a long, hot shower and wash my hair.”  Beverly stretched out on their shared cot.  They had both stopped wearing their jackets days ago and Beverly was clad in the small camisole she wore under it and the uniform skirt worn by cadets.  Likewise, Jean-Luc was clad in a sleeveless undershirt and his trousers.  Jean-Luc took a moment to admire Beverly.  Her shirt was stretched tight across her chest and Jean-Luc had to use a lot of restraint to keep himself from touching her.  Beverly noticed Jean-Luc looking at her and grinned. “Like what you see?”  Jean-Luc licked his lips and decided to reply with the words of Shakespeare:_

_“_ But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun...”

_“I’ll take that as a compliment.  Please continue.”_

_Jean-Luc continued the soliloquy and filled his words with passion._ “..Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek! _”_

 _“_ Oh, me!”

 _“_ She speaks! Oh speak again....” _Beverly giggled as Jean-Luc got into his character.  She cleared her throat  and sat up on the bed to take up the words of Juliet._

 _“_ Romeo, Romeo...wherefore art thou Romeo?” _Jean-Luc grinned as he listened to Beverly speak the role.  Jean-Luc held Beverly’s hands in his and drew her into his arms as they spoke the fated words of the star-crossed lovers.  Beverly swallowed and whispered, “Jean-Luc? This is where we kiss.”_

_“Beverly, I’m not sure that would be entirely appropriate...”_

_“Are you Romeo or not?”  Jean-Luc tilted his head and gently kissed Beverly.  Beverly wrapped her arms around Jean-Luc and deepened the kiss.  Jean-Luc felt wonderful.  He was kissing Beverly....the woman he had been in love with for the past two years.  He had restrained himself so far, only holding her while they slept together as they had discovered they fit better on the small bed that way and if Jean-Luc was truthful, he enjoyed holding her close._

_Beverly felt as though Jean-Luc’s kiss was lighting a fire deep within.  She pawed at his shirt, pulling it up and off and ran her hands down his chest.  Jean-Luc groaned into her mouth and pulled her camisole off.  She was clad in a standard white cotton bra.  He ran his tongue along the exposed flesh on the top of her breasts and Beverly moaned and clasped his head to her chest.  “Oh yes, Jean-Luc.”_

_Beverly moved her hands to Jean-Luc’s waistband and stilled her hands.  Jean-Luc looked  up. “Beverly?”_

_“Jean-Luc, what are we doing?”_

_“I believe, my dear Doctor in training, it’s called making love.”_

_“But are we...are we doing this because we want to, or are we doing this because we’ve been stuck together in close quarters for the past twelve days?”_

_“You mean like a form of Stockholm syndrome?”_

_“Kind of.”  Jean-Luc rested his forehead against hers and drew her into a close embrace.  “Beverly,  I want to make love to you.  I’ve wanted to for quite some time.  I find you incredibly attractive.”_

_“Even without a proper shower in the past twelve days?”_

_“Even then.”  Beverly took a deep breath.  “Jean-Luc...I find you attractive too.”  She tentatively kissed him and moved her hands back to his belt where she deftly removed  his belt and slid his trousers down. Jean-Luc slid her skirt down her legs and knelt on the floor to remove her boots. Beverly unhooked her bra and slid her knickers down her legs to stand naked in front of a kneeling Jean-Luc._

_“Beverly...you are beautiful.”  He tugged her closer and pressed kisses to her stomach and hips and buried his nose in her cluster of dark red curls.  Jean-Luc nudged her legs apart and gently, almost reverently, parted her folds and inserted his tongue.  Pleasure shot through Beverly and all she could do was moan out his name as he continued ravishing her with his tongue.  He grasped her by her hips and kneaded her backside and Beverly threw a leg over his shoulder, parting her legs more.  She held onto his head as her orgasm shot through her.  Jean-Luc withdrew his tongue, and removed his own boots to finish tugging off his trousers.  He picked up weak-kneed Beverly and carried her over to the small cot.  He slid off his shorts, kneeled between her legs, and teased her with just the tip of his penis.  “More,” Beverly croaked out.  She wrapped her legs around his hip and pulled him into her.  Jean-Luc leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss and thrust deep into her.  His moans soon joined hers as they brought each other to mutual satisfaction._

_Sometime after they had finished making love, they each retrieved their underwear, and with Jean-Luc clad in his boxers, and Beverly clad in her camisole and knickers, they drifted off to sleep.  Neither had been aware of the transporter beam as it encased the couple and deposited them onto a bed in the corner of Sickbay on board the_ Stargazer.

 _They never knew who had captured them or what they had wanted, but it seemed the crew of the_ Stargazer _had been able to locate all members of the away team and had beamed them all back to the ship.  Beverly and Jean-Luc agreed not to mention their brief encounter to Jack and three weeks after they returned to the ship, Beverly had married Jack.  Four weeks after the wedding, Beverly discovered she was pregnant.  She transferred to Starbase 32 to finish her studies as Jack said Jean-Luc wouldn’t want a baby on board.  Neither  Beverly nor Jean-Luc ever thought to do the math on how far along she was, always assuming Wesley had been conceived shortly after her return to the ship._

###

Beverly’s face filled Jean-Luc’s screen the following day.  Her eyes registered both hope and sorrow and Jean-Luc’s breath caught in his throat as he answered the call. 

“Beverly...how’s Wesley?”

“Wesley has Shalaft’s.   Doctor Quaice and I are researching treatment.  Do you remember how you were treated?”

“Not really.  All I was told when I was older was Maman took me to a hospital in Bern after my ears started bleeding.  Perhaps it’s in my medical records?  Feel free to access them if it would help Wes.” Beverly nodded her thanks.  “Have you talked to Jack yet?”

“No.  I wanted to talk to you first.  I think this definitely confirms Wesley is your child and not Jack’s.”  Jean-Luc tried to conceal his grin.

“Yes, I would say so. Beverly, what do you want to do?  I want to be in Wesley and your lives, but it’s ultimately up to you...I can stay as Wesley’s uncle if you’d prefer.  We don’t have to tell Jack he’s not Wesley’s father.” 

“No.  You deserve more than that...and so does Jack.  I’ll talk to him...if he wants a divorce, I’ll give him a divorce.  Would you submit to genetic testing so we can change Wesley’s birth certificate?”  Jean-Luc nodded and then asked the question that had been weighing heavily on his mind since he discovered Wesley might be his son.  “Beverly?  Could Wesley...could he have my name?” 

“You’re his father. Of course he can.  He’s young enough he honestly doesn’t know his last name, so changing it to Picard won’t impact him.”  A broad grin spread across Jean-Luc ‘s face.  “Is it wrong of me to be happy, Beverly?  I don’t want to hurt Jack, but...I have a son.  With you.  I have a son with you.” 

Two days later, the _Stargazer_ docked with Starbase 32.  As much as Jean-Luc wanted to rush down the gangway and envelope Beverly and Wesley in his arms, he restrained himself and allowed Jack to greet his wife and Wesley first.  When Jean-Luc descended the ramp, Beverly’s eyes lit up.  She greeted Jean-Luc cautiously, mindful that she hadn’t yet spoken to Jack and exchanged cheek kisses with the father of her son.  Wesley, who had been cranky with tears leaking out of his eyes, permitted Jean-Luc to take him from his mother’s arms.  Jean-Luc dropped a kiss onto the boy’s head and Wesley laid his head on Jean-Luc’s shoulder and stuck his thumb in his mouth before closing his eyes with a small sigh.  Jack didn’t really take any notice of it as he wrapped an arm around Beverly’s shoulder. 

Jean-Luc lowered his voice to not wake the small boy and spoke to Beverly. “How is Wesley doing?”

“We blocked his auditory senses so he currently can’t hear anything.”  Jack heard Beverly and loudly proclaimed, “My boy is deaf?”  Beverly shook her head. “No. At least, not permanently. But this gives him a small reprieve while we conduct research.  It was either this or leaving him in Sickbay, and I didn’t want to leave him.” 

“No, of course not. I’m sorry Bev.” 

“Jack, we need to talk about Wes. Jean-Luc, could you take Wesley to my quarters?” 

“Of course.”  Jean-Luc carried on down the corridor towards Beverly’s quarters. He carried the two and a half year old into Beverly’s bedroom where he gently laid him on the bed before removed his own  jacket and shoes to lay down on Beverly’s bed with his son.   _My son.  I never thought I would have children, but now that I know Wesley is mine, I can’t imagine my life without him._ Jean-Luc soon drifted off to sleep next to his son.

###

Beverly led Jack into the small room she used as an office.  “Bev, what’s wrong with my boy?  What aren’t you telling me?” 

Beverly indicated Jack towards a seat before she sank down into her desk chair.  She clasped her hands together.  “Jack...Wesley has Shalaft’s Syndrome.”

“Why does that sound familiar to me?”  Beverly tried to detach herself from her emotions while she replied. 

“Jean-Luc had Shalaft’s Syndrome when he was a boy.” 

“Ah, I must have remembered Jean-Luc mentioning it.”  Beverly nodded, but was unsure how to proceed.  She finally decided to lay it all out for Jack to make his own conclusions.

“Shalaft’s Syndrome is hereditary on the male side.” 

“Hereditary?”  Jack had a puzzled look on his face.  “But I don’t have Shalaft’s and neither did my father...but Jean-Luc did...” the colour drained from Jack’s face.  “Wesley isn’t my son, is he? He’s Jean-Luc’s.”  Beverly nodded slowly.  “How? When?  No wait, I don’t think I want to know....no, yes I do. Beverly, did you and my best friend sleep together after we were married?” 

“No.  It happened when we were on the away mission.  We had been trying to keep ourselves entertained and...”

“And what? Your clothing just fell off? His penis just fell into you?”  Jack’s eyes flashed with anger.  “I can’t believe you slept with Jean-Luc and neither one of you had the decency to tell me.  How long have you known Wesley wasn’t mine?  Did you and Jean-Luc know from the beginning?”

Tears leaked out of the corner of Beverly’s eyes. “No.  I always assumed Wesley was your son. I had no reason to think he wasn’t. Jean-Luc and I had only slept together once...the chances were so small...”

“And why didn’t you tell me you had slept together?”  That was a very good question, and one Beverly didn’t have an answer to.

Beverly spoke quietly. “Would it have mattered?”

“No...yes...I don’t know, Bev.  But if I had known, I might have questioned if I was Wesley’s father when you told me you were pregnant.”

“I...see.  What do you want to do, Jack?”

“Beverly, do you love Jean-Luc?”

Beverly looked down at her hands. “Of course I do. Jean-Luc is my best friend.”

“No, Beverly.  Do you _love_ him.  Are you in love with Jean-Luc Picard?”

“Maybe?” Her words came out quietly.  Jack stood up.  “Well, I’d really like to go punch Jean-Luc, but I think I’ll return to my quarters on the _Stargazer_ instead and request an immediate transfer.  Just...let me know what I need to sign to end this.”

“To end what? Our marriage?”  Tears were now freely flowing down Beverly’s face. 

“Yes.”  Jack stalked out of Beverly’s office.  Beverly rested her head on her desk and wept.  If only she had told Jack she had slept with Jean-Luc from the beginning. Maybe Jack wouldn’t have married her in the first place and she could be with Jean-Luc right now.  Or maybe she shouldn’t have slept with Jean-Luc to begin with, but then she wouldn’t have Wesley.  Beverly dried her eyes and sat up to review her messages.  She had looked in Jean-Luc’s medical file last night, and it looked like a delicate surgical procedure had been required.  She was unwilling to perform the surgery on her own son since she was still a student herself, so she had sent the information to her superior, Doctor Quaice.  He told her to schedule the surgery at her convenience.  She pushed back from her desk and got up to return to her quarters.  She didn’t want to make any more decisions about Wesley’s health without talking to Jean-Luc first.  Beverly yawned.  It was getting late.  Perhaps a good night’s sleep, first.

Beverly entered her quarters and grinned.  Jean-Luc and Wesley were both fast asleep on her bed, with Wesley resting his head on Jean-Luc’s shoulder.  Beverly removed Jean-Luc’s trousers before removing her own uniform and slid under the covers on Jean-Luc’s other side.  Jean-Luc stirred and opened his eyes.  “Removing my clothing again, dear?”

“Mm. Thought you’d be more comfortable.  If you want, we can put Wesley in his room.” 

“I..ahh...” The truth was, Jean-Luc didn’t want his son out of his sight.

“I’m only wearing my camisole and knickers...” Jean-Luc’s eyes went wide.  “I think I can see merit in placing Wesley in his own bed.”

“I thought you would.”   Jean-Luc got up and gathered his son in his arms.  Beverly led him into Wesley’s bedroom and Jean-Luc carefully lowered the two-and-a-half year old into his cot.  “Sweet dreams, son.” 

Back in Beverly’s bedroom, Jean-Luc drew Beverly into his arms under the covers.  “How did it go with Jack?” 

“He wants a divorce and he’s planning on leaving the _Stargazer_.” 

“I’ll be sad to see him go, but under the circumstances, it’s probably for the best.  Especially when I happen to have an open position for a Trainee Medical Officer and would like to offer the position to the mother of my child.” 

“And Wes?”

“Of course, Wesley will live with us.  If Jack had asked me when you were pregnant, I would have bent the rules for you...even if Wesley was Jack’s son.” 

“Us?”

“Am I being too presumptuous?  You and Wesley can have your own quarters if you’d like...”

“No, I think I’d like that...but won’t the crew talk?” 

“Gilaad will keep them from talking.”  Beverly leaned up and kissed him “Then, I accept.” 

“Good.  Beverly, I would really like to make love to you right now...” 

###

The genetic testing performed on Wesley and Jean-Luc proved that Wesley was indeed the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Howard.  Beverly had Wesley’s birth certificate amended to correct the mistake and filed for her divorce from Jack Crusher.  Jack quickly signed the papers and was on his way on the next shuttlecraft off the base before either Beverly or Jean-Luc had a chance to say goodbye to him. 

Doctor Quaice scheduled Wesley’s surgery for the following day and while Beverly took it in stride, Jean-Luc was a mess.  He paced back and forth Beverly’s tiny office waiting for word that his son would be fine.  Beverly laughed at him. “What are you going to do if we ever have another child?”

He gaped open mouthed at Beverly.  “You want to have another?”

“In a few years, perhaps.”  Jean-Luc couldn’t help but picture a little girl with Beverly’s ginger hair and blue eyes. “I think I could handle it.” He leaned down and kissed her as Doctor Quaice bustled into the office.

“Ah, Beverly, Captain.  You’ll be pleased to know your son will be fine.  The surgery was a success.  He’s a little groggy, but he’s asking for you. _Both_ of you.”  Beverly stood and reached for Jean-Luc’ hand.  “Thank you, Dalen.  I should probably mention to you that you will need a new assistant soon. I’m going to transfer to the _Stargazer_.” 

“I expected as much. “ 

Jean-Luc cautiously approached Wesley’s bed and held his hand as his eyes fluttered open.  “Papa?”  Jean-Luc’s heart soared at hearing those words for the first time.  He glanced over at Beverly who shrugged.  “Children just know.  He never called Jack Papa.”  Jean-Luc grinned down at the boy. “It’s ok, Wes. Papa’s here.  I’ll take care of you.”  He leaned down and kissed Wesley’s forehead before Beverly reached for Wesley’s other hand.  “Get some sleep, baby boy.  Papa and I will be here when you wake up.”

Wesley’s eyes fluttered shut again as he said “kay Mama.” 

###

Jean-Luc was in Beverly’s quarters, looking over a dataPADD containing the crew rotation for the _Stargazer_.  Technically, Jean-Luc could accuse Jack of abandonment since he hadn’t asked permission to leave, but Jean-Luc merely affixed his thumbprint to the authorisation.  Better to have Jack out of their lives than have to go through a court marshall.  The next document caught his eye. 

“Beverly, my love...would you mind explaining something to me?”  Beverly emerged from Wesley’s bedroom where she had been packing up his toys for their move onto the _Stargazer._ “Explain what?”

“This?”  He handed her the PADD.

“Oh. Well, I just thought it would be easier if Wesley and I still had the same last name.” 

“I see.  And don’t you think you should have asked me before you changed your last name to Picard?”  He tried to look angry, but he was secretly pleased.  Though, he would have preferred it if Beverly was actually his wife taking his name...

“Uh...Surprise?” 

“Indeed.”  Jean-Luc rose from his seat and taking Beverly’s hands, he knelt in front of her.  “Beverly...my love,  the mother of my child and future children...I love that you want to use my name...I’m not objecting to it, but don’t you think we should get married and make everything official?”

“Are you proposing?”

“Yes.  Beverly, will you marry me?”  Beverly laughed. “No.”

“No?”

“Not yet.  Besides, this is a pretty awful proposal.  ‘Let’s get married to make it official?’  I mean, really Jean-Luc.”  He grinned back at Beverly. 

“I suppose I should make it a little more romantic.”  He rose and kissed Beverly.  “But I’ll still take that as a yes...”

“But I said no,” Beverly looked at Jean-Luc with a grin on her face. 

“But you changed your last name to Picard.  That means, you _do_ want to be my wife eventually.”  He drew Beverly into his arms.

“Eventually. Maybe.  I mean, I know we put having a baby ahead of actually dating, but I think I might like to be romanced a bit first.”

“Romance, I can do.  I am a Frenchman.  Romance is my middle name.”  He kissed her tenderly.

“Mm-hmm.” Jean-Luc looked at her hopefully. “Do we have time before Wesley needs to be picked up for me to show you how romantic I can be?”

“I think we can make time...”

###

Beverly and Wesley were settling into life aboard the _Stargazer_.  Despite Jean-Luc’s original comment to Gilaad about not wanting children on board, the _Stargazer_ had a few families on board and there even was another child around Wesley’s age for Wes to play with.  There were about a dozen children on board ranging from a few months old to ten, and so the ship had a make-shift school/day care, which Wesley was happy to go to daily when his mother and father were both working.  Beverly enjoyed being reunited with her old mentor, Doctor Greyhorse,  and got stuck into whatever project Greyhorse assigned her. 

Jean-Luc was slowly getting used to family life.  He still wasn’t in favour of children being on the Bridge, but he was learning how to be a father and how to balance being a ship’s captain with being a father and being Beverly’s partner.  Instead of retreating to his Ready Room at the end of his scheduled shift to be on hand in case he was needed, he was spending his time in his quarters or elsewhere on board the ship with Wesley or Beverly and sometimes the three of them would get to spend time together.   Jean-Luc was trying to romance Beverly, but it was difficult with an almost three-year-old, not to mention their respective responsibilities on board, but they managed to find time to spend together just the two of them.  Frequently in the evenings, they would ask an Ensign or one of the Cadets serving on the _Stargazer_  to babysit Wesley so they could have dinner together or even just spend some time watching the stars go by out the large window in the observation lounge. 

Beverly still had not agreed to a wedding ceremony, but when they were on shore leave on Starbase 14, Beverly and Jean-Luc had purchased simple silver bands which they wore on their ring fingers.  As far as Beverly was concerned, she didn’t need the ceremony or the piece of paper.  She was Beverly Picard.  Jean-Luc still wanted to have a wedding ceremony one day, but he was content nonetheless. 

Two years later word reached them that Jack had died in an accident.  Beverly and Jean-Luc mourned for the loss of his life, as they had always hoped they would be able to reconcile and be friends with him in the future.  They didn’t bother telling five-year-old Wesley, as he barely knew who the man was, and had only seen him a handful of times when Beverly had still been married to him. 

Six months after the death of Jack, The _Stargazer_ was destroyed in a battle.  The entire time Jean-Luc was on the Bridge issuing commands his heart was in his throat as he worried about his son and Beverly.  Beverly came running onto the Bridge with Wesley in her arms and a bag slug over her shoulder in time to watch Jean-Luc be blasted back by an explosion at the helm.  She passed Wesley to Gilaad and knelt down beside Jean-Luc.  He had a large gash over his forehead, but he seemed to only be briefly stunned.  She helped him to rise and he kissed her before ordering the senior staff to abandon ship.  Jean-Luc took Wesley from his old friend Gilaad and they all rushed towards the final shuttle.  Jean-Luc watched out of a porthole as his ship descended into the atmosphere of the planet, clutching his son in one hand, and Beverly in the other. 

He knelt down in the small space afforded to them in the shuttle and rested his head against Beverly’s swollen stomach.  “Is the baby alright?” 

“She’s fine.”

“She?  We’re having a girl?”  Beverly nodded. “Oh, my love.  This is fantastic news.  Wesley, you’re going to have a little sister.”

“A girl? Yuck.”  Jean-Luc ruffled his hair.  “You’ll love her, I promise.” 

Jean-Luc and Gilaad organised the shuttles and pods to grapple onto each other so they could make their way to the nearest starbase together.  The trip would take twelve weeks, unless someone found their distress signal first.  Beverly bit her lip when she found out as the baby was due in about  twelve weeks.  That wasn’t counting the possibility of the baby arriving early. 

Wesley became crabby over the course of the journey due to the cramped space and the lack of things to do.  Beverly had managed to throw a bag together with a few of his things and Beverly and Jean-Luc’s sentimental items before she ran to the bridge, so Wesley had a few books and toys.  His teacher was in one of the other shuttles, but the crew with Jean-Luc and Beverly took turns trying to entertain Wesley.  Pug Joseph taught him how to play chess, and Gilaad spent many hours playing go fish. 

Beverly was slowly running out of the supplements she needed to continue to have a healthy pregnancy and she began to worry.  She tried to hide her fears from Jean-Luc, but as she entered her eighth month of pregnancy, and their eighth week in the shuttle, she finally broke down and told Jean-Luc she was worried for the baby and for herself. 

“Jean-Luc...we need to talk.”  She patted the space next to her on the bunk she was sitting on.  Jean-Luc lowered himself onto the bed and pulled her close to give her a kiss on her temple. “Are you alright, my love?”

“No.  And that’s what we need to talk about.” 

“The baby?”

“Also not OK.  Well, I mean, she might be.  Without proper sickbay equipment all I can do is use a tricorder and she seems fine...but I’m running out of supplements.  I might be okay for a week or two, but I’m worried I’m going to give birth soon....and Jean-Luc, no one on this shuttle with us, other than Ensign Keller knows anything about childbirth.  And Keller is just a nursing student.   Childbirth is no longer a dangerous thing for women with modern medicine...but we are severely lacking in modern medicine.” 

“Should we try to see if we can transfer Greyhorse to the shuttle?”  Beverly nodded.  Jean-Luc called out into the galley. “Gilaad? Could I speak with you?” 

Gilaad Ben Zoma, Jean-Luc’s  trusty Number One,  came into the room. There was no need for communicator badges in the tight quarters.  “Gilaad, we need to get Greyhorse beamed onto this shuttle in case Beverly goes into labour.  And find out what other medical supplies the other ships have.  If they don’t need them, we might need them to beam them to us.”

“Of course, Captain.” Jean-Luc smiled. “Gilaad.  We’ve been stuck on a shuttle, you can call me Jean-Luc, you know. You are my friend after all.”

“I know, but I don’t want anyone else to think they don’t need to show you respect.”

“I see.  Thank you, _Commander_.”  When Gilaad left, Jean-Luc gently kissed Beverly. “See? We’ll get Greyhorse here.  You’ll be fine.” Beverly nodded.

“Jean-Luc?”

“Yes, my love?”

“I want to get married.” 

“As soon as we get to the base.  I promise.”

###

Yvette Picard was born aboard the _Cassiopeia_ four days before they reached Starbase 32.  Once Beverly and Yvette were released from the base’s sickbay, Jean-Luc and Beverly finally were married.  Jean-Luc would be facing a court marshall  related to losing his ship, but whatever Starfleet wanted to throw at him, he knew he cold weather it as long as he had his family by his side.  


End file.
